Coin-controlled vending-machine.



Patented Nov. I4, |899.

no. 636,84l.

G. RAAB &. D. APPEL. CUIN GUNTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

jizz/P22152?- (Application mad my 17, 1899.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE RAAB AND DANIEL APPEL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO JOHN ANISFIELD, OF SAME PLACE. n

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDlNG-MACHIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 636,841, dated November 14, 1899.

Application filed May 17, 1899. Serial No. 717,172. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE RAAB and DANTEL APPEL, citizens of the United States,

and residents of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best Inode in which we have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail one mechanical form embodying the invention, such detail construction being but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings, Figure I represents a front elevation of our improved coincontrolled vending-machine; Fig. II, a vertical section of the same, and Fig. III a top plan view of the slide mechanism of the machine.

The machine-frame is composed of a base 1 and a cigar-receptacle 2. The base has a forwardly-inclined cigar-chute 3 extending across the width of the base and inclined toward the front of the same, through which it opens through a slot 4. A coin-receptacle 5 is formed in the base above the chute and has a door 6 in the front of the base, by means of which door access may be had to the receptacle for the removal of the collected coins. An upwardly-slanting guard-strip 7 is preferably provided at the lower end of the chute for the purpose of stopping the cigar as it rolls out of the chute and retaining it in position to be picked up by the purchaser. A slideway is formed above the coin-receptacle and upper end of the chute, between the top S of the base and a horizontal bottom 9, and said bottom has a transverse slot 10 near the rear edge of a length and width sufficient to admit of the passage of a cigar, and a coinslot 11 forward of said cigar-slot and at right angles to the same and of a width slightly in excess of the thickness of the coin by which the machine is designed to be operated and a length somewhat less than twice the diameter of the coin. A slide 12, consisting of a rectangular frame of a width somewhat less than 14 near its forward edge, and the uprightl cigar-receptacle 2 near its rear edge has a suitable opening for feeding the cigars into it, to rest transversely in the same one above the other, as illustrated in Figs. I and II. The receptacle connects with the base at its open lower end through a slot 16, which is a short distance to the rear of the cigar-slot for the chute. The rear bar 17 of the slide closes the bottom opening of the cigar-receptacle-when said slide is in its forward position, and the cigar-slot in the slide registers with said opening when the slide is pushed back and registers with the slot leading down to the chute when the slide is in its normal forward position. The slide has a coin-slot 18 forward of and at right angles to the cigar slot or pocket in the same. Said coin slot or pocket registers with the coin-slot in the top of the base when the slide is in its forward position, and said slot is of just a sufficient width and length to hold the operating-coin. The forward end of the coin-slot in the slideway-bottom is a short distance to the rear of the forward end of the coin-pocket of the slide, so that the operating-coin dropped into said pocket will rest against the forward end of the slot in the slideway-bottom, while a coin of smaller diameter than the operating- `coin will drop through the slot into the coin- -receptacle A tubular guide 19 projects from the front wall of the base, and a plunger slides in said guide. Said plunger has a knob portion 20, which just fits to slide in the guide, and a stem 21, around which a spring 22 is coiled. The outer end of said spring bears against the knob, and the inner end bears against the inner end of the guide, so that the spring serves to force the plunger forward. The inner portion of the stem slides in a bore 23'in the forward side of the slide into the coin-pocket, and a brake-block 24, of rubber or other material which will secure a hold IOO end of said stem. A portion of the stem is reduced, as at 25, and a pin 26 is inserted through the slide to engage at the reduced portion in such manner that the plunger may be pushed inward without moving the slide when the operating-coin is notl in the pocket, while it will draw the slide forward after the latter has been pushed back by the inner shoulder of the reduced portion engaging the pin, the spring drawing the plunger forward. Two bulges 27 are formed upon the sides of the slide, and two bulged fiat springs 28 are placed between the slide and the-sides of the base. Said bulges are so arranged that the springs will be compressed when the slide is moved back, so that by the expansion of the springs and by the bulges of the same acting against the bulges of the slide the latter will be thrown forward when pressure upon the plunger is released. For the purpose of permitting the cigar to slide easily into the cigarpocket of the slide and preventing the next cigar above in the receptacle from being crushed as the slide moves forward, closing the open end of the receptacle, the forward side of the rear bar 17 of the slide is beveled and rounded, as shown at 29.

In practice the cigar-receptacle is filled with cigars, one cigar being placed above the other and with tips and butts alternating transversely to the casing, whereupon the iilling opening is closed and the machine is ready for operation. W'hen a purchaser desires a cigar,he deposits a coin of the desired denomination-say a five-cent nickel coinin the coin-slot and presses the plunger inward, when a cigar will be delivered at the end of the chute, and the coin will fall into the coin-receptacle as the plunger is released and springs out again. The coin will first rest in the coin-pocket of the slide, bearing against the forward end of the coin-slot in the bottom of the slideway, as illustrated in Fig. II. When the plunger is pushed in,the coin-brake upon the same will bear against the coin and prevent the same from falling into the coin-receptacle, and the plunger and coin in the pocket will thus push the slide back to allow the cigar-pocket in the slide to register with the open lower end of the cigarreceptacle and to thus receive the lowermost cigar in the same. The coin-brake will hold the coin as long as pressure is exerted upon the plunger; but the moment such pressure is released the spring for the plunger will draw the same outward and withdraw the brake from the edge of the coin, allowing the latter to fall into the coin-receptacle. The cut-away portion of the plunger-stem is such that its inner shoulder will not be in contact with the pin when the brake is in contact with the coin, so that the brake will be released from the coin a moment before the shoulder of the stem strikes the pin to draw the slide out again. This moment is suiiicient to allow the coin to drop, so that it is impossible for a dishonest person to bring the slide forward by gradually allowing the plunger to move outward while allowing the brake to act against the coin, which might thus be returned in the pocket,together with the slide. The coin will always be released before the spring, for the plunger will draw the slide outward. If no coin is in the coin-pocket, the plunger cannot move the slide when pushed inward, as its inner end will simply move into the coin-pocket without engaging the slide.

The construction of this device is extremely simple, for which reason the device may be cheaply constructed and will not be liable to break or otherwise get out of order.

The operation of the device is simple and positive, and yet such as to prevent fraudulent operation. A coin which is larger than the predetermined operating-coin cannot enter the slot, and a smaller coin will directly drop into the coin-receptacle.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed for the mode herein explained.l Change may therefore be made as regards the mechanism thus disclosed, provided the principles of construction set forth respectively in the following claims are employed.

Ve therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention- 1. In a coin-controlled vending-machine, the combination of a receptacle for the articles to be sold, a slide formed with a pocket which enters said receptacle and receives an article when pushed inward by the coin-actuated slide and discharges the article when moved outward and also formed with a coinpocket, a coin-receptacle beneath the slide and formed with a coin-slot which registers with the pocket as the slide is moved to its receiving position, a plunger having its inner end moving freely through the coin-pocket in the slide and provided at said end with a coinbrake engaging the coin in the pocket when pushed into the same and provided with' a shoulder engaging a stop in the slide to draw the same outward with it when the plunger is drawn out from the coin in the pocket and the brake is released from the same, and a spring bearing against the'plunger to draw the latter outward and to thus draw the slide to its delivery position, substantially as set forth.

2'. In a coin-controlled Vending-machine, the combination of a slide constructed to receive the article when moved inpone direction and to deliver the same when moved in the opposite direction and formed with a coinpocket and a bore entering lengthwise into said pocket, a pin intersecting said bore before its entrance into the pocket, a plunger sliding in said bore and havinga cut-away portion for said pin and a coin-brake at its inner end for engaging the coin in the pocket, said cut-away portion being of such length that the plunger maybe pushed inward without moving the slide, while on thev outward movement of the plunger after the slide has IOO been pushed in the inner shoulder of the cutaway portion will engage the pin after the brake has released the coin, and a spring engaging the plunger to draw the latter outward, substantially as set forth.

3. In a coin -controlled vendingmachine, the combination of a casing having a base formed with a coin-slot in its top and an upright receptacle for the articles communicating with its open lower end with the base through a slot in the rear portion of the top of the same, a slideway-bottoin in the base forming a slideway between itself and the base top and formed with a transverse delivery-slot near its rear edge and a coin-slot forward of said slot, a chute extending from said delivery-slot and through the front of the base and provided there with an inclined guardstrip, a coin-receptacle in the base having the coin-slot of the bottom opening into it, a slide in the slideway and formed with a transverse pocket which may alternatelyregister with the receptacle and the delivery-slot in the bottom and formed with acoin-pocket which may register with the coin-slots in the base top and slideway-bottom and also formed with a bore through its front and lengthwise entering said pocket, a guide-tube on the front of the base and registering with said bore, a plunger having a knob portion sliding in the guide-tube and a stem sliding in the tube and bore and c'ut away for a part of its inner portion and provided with a c'oinbrake at its inner end, a pin transversely inserted through the bore to engage the cutaway portion of the plunger-stein, a spring around the stein of the plunger and within the guide-tube, bulges upon the sides of the slide, and bulged springs bearing against the .sides of the slide and engaging the bulges,

substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing to be our invention we have hereunto set our hands this 5th day of May, A. D. 1899.

GEORGE RAAB. DANIEL APPEL.

Witnessesi WM'. SECHER, K. F. WINDING. 

